Gender Discrimination In Any Educational Institution Essay Example

I, where an educational institution must meet the requirements in one of three tests. The first test, known as the proportionality test, states that athletic participation rates for both sexes should be within a five percent difference of the enrollment for that particular sex. As most schools and universities do not meet this standard, they can satisfy the second test by demonstrating a history and continuous practice of adding teams for the underrepresented sex in the past three years. If an institution fails to meet either of these tests, they can show compliance by fully and effectively accommodating the interests of the underrepresented sex. This would require offering every team that has sufficient interest and ability, as long as there is a reasonable expectation of competition within the institution's usual competitive region. To assess interest, surveys of students and the availability of feeder programs in community-based recreational leagues, intramural sports, and elective physical education offerings are used.

The equitable accommodation of abilities for males and females occurs when the percentage difference of appropriate level contests is within five percent. In addition, athletic scholarship dollars should be proportional to the percentage of male and female athletes, with no significant discrepancy in the average scholarship amount between the two genders. The third component, known as the "laundry list," consists of 11 distinct treatment aspects within Other Program Areas.

The compliance decision for parallel teams, such as SB-vs-BB, is determined by comparing the entire women's program to the overall men's program. This allows for flexibility, allowing schools to showcase different sports for men and women or provide better treatment in one area for a male sport, balanced by reduced quality

in a different sport for men. The 11 program areas include Equipment and Supplies, Game and Practice Schedules, Publicity, Facilities, Coaching, and Travel and Per Diem (Lichtman, 63). Several arguments have been presented against achieving equality between men's and women's sports. One argument is that equity will detrimentally impact men's sports.

The law aims to provide equal opportunities and treatment for both genders. However, removing sports for males does not improve opportunities for females. While achieving equality may require redirecting resources and funds to women's sports, by implementing better budgetary controls, displaying greater fiscal responsibility, and coordinating efforts to generate additional funds through effective marketing, programs can thrive without discontinuing some men's sports.

To achieve this goal, it is important to create policies that influence the financial aspect of sports operations and maintenance. Implementing such measures would not only save money but also allow for better allocation of funds for other needs. Additionally, it is desirable that educational institutions cease wasting their limited financial resources on defending themselves against valid Title IX lawsuits. Instead, it would be more advantageous to use those funds to address the underlying issues that led to the litigation.

2) There are arguments both for and against eliminating football from Title IX. On one hand, coaches argue that women's programs don't have an equivalent sport to football in terms of participation, costs, or generating income. On the other hand, supporters of Title IX refer to the Javitts Amendment, which recognizes that certain sports, such as football, require special accommodations for fairness. They also claim that football is able to sustain itself financially and provide support for other sports. However, some suggest that reducing the

number of football scholarships could help colleges meet financial obligations when adding women's sports.

Imagine if football were to become popular among women. Most people would say it could never happen. But we have seen activities like water polo, pole vaulting, and ice hockey, which were once exclusive to men, become more inclusive. Progressive curricula now offer flag football for women, and its popularity has spread to college intramural programs. It may take another decade before there is enough interest for interscholastic and intercollegiate football competition for women. If that happens, will coaches support removing women's football from Title IX equation? Will there be proportional funding? Treating all money as source blind will negatively impact fundraising. "Source blind" means it doesn't matter which institutionally affiliated team or group raises money.

Irrespective of the source of money, it does not belong exclusively to any specific entity. Rather, all profits should be put into a centralized account and distributed fairly as outlined earlier. This approach will help non-revenue generating sports without creating a sense of entitlement that could discourage income generation in other sports (Lichtman 65-6). Title IX is evident not only in collegiate settings but also in other domains.

Several teenagers interviewed at two high schools in New York City were unfamiliar with Title IX. However, some girls noted that their schools appeared to allocate more resources and attention to the boys' teams. Deepa Darmishtan, a 15-year-old student at Hillcrest High School, stated that this favoritism was not necessarily discrimination but rather a manifestation of preference (Jones, Spence 20). The University of Iowa's Gender Equity in Sports asserts that Title IX regulates the fair treatment and opportunities in athletics,

allowing schools to select sports based on factors such as student interest, geographic influence, budget limitations, and gender ratio.

The focus is not solely on women's involvement in wrestling or equal financial support for male and female basketball players, but rather on ensuring that women have the same opportunities as men. This applies on a broader scale rather than individually (Miningco.com). The impact of Title IX on education has been noticeable. According to the University of Iowa, in 1972 only 9% of medical degrees were earned by women. However, by 1994, this percentage had risen to 38%.

Between 1972 and 1994, the percentage of women earning law degrees saw a significant rise from 7% to 43%. Similarly, the proportion of women receiving doctoral degrees in the United States increased from 25% in 1977 to 44% in 1994. Despite these academic advancements for women, there is an ongoing debate regarding the impact of Title IX on sports. Although its success off the field is evident, it remains uncertain if it has had an equal effect on athletic performance. Nevertheless, Title IX undeniably offers greater opportunities and improved facilities for women and girls.

According to the Feminist Majority Foundation, women who were under 10 when Title IX passed have a higher rate of sports participation compared to women who grew up before Title IX. The post-Title IX generation had a participation rate of 55% in high school sports, while the pre-Title IX generation had a rate of 36%. Title IX has allowed more women to receive athletic scholarships and pursue higher education opportunities that would have otherwise been impossible.

"However, gender equity has not been fully achieved under Title IX," states

Miningco.com. Many individuals still believe that many schools struggle to comply with Title IX. The Office of Civil Rights (O.C.R.) within the Justice Department investigates complaints and determines if a school is in compliance with Title IX.

If the school does not comply, it may face a lawsuit from the Justice Department. University officials are now giving more importance to Title IX as they could potentially suffer financial losses. The O.C.R. imposes certain responsibilities on schools, and athletic department administrators nationwide encounter difficulties when attempting to decrease men's athletics programs in order to attain equal gender representation. This practice of diminishing men's athletics programs as a way to advance gender equality is an artificial method of enforcing a fundamental principle.

If a school believes that athletics are important, then they should be focused on creating opportunities for women rather than taking away opportunities from men (Collegeexpress.com). According to Jones, Dahna, Spence, Nicole, et al., in the Amsterdam News, twenty-five years later, the question still remains if Title IX is necessary. Lichtman, Brenda, discusses in USA Today Magazine the challenge of achieving Title IX compliance when it comes to sexual discrimination in school sports.

Mar 1998, v126 n2634, 62-5. Sports Legends & Trivia. History of Title IX. Miningco.com.

On March 25, 1998, CollegeExpress.com and Women's International Network News held an event at the Sports Complex to discuss the topic of Title IX.

Despite 25 years of Title IX, the playing field has not been leveled. Bibliography: